Ends With T
by oh-ohmy-oohhkay
Summary: Luke's thoughts on not needing a partner in his life. He was a Jedi master now, and was not lonely. He had the next generation of Jedi to train! Leia disagreed. And eventually, Luke himself did too, after he received a bit of news and his tea failed to comfort him. Light one-sided slash. Supposed to be a one-shot... oh well.


I couldn't sleep. I don't know why but I just couldn't. It was over. Everything I had to worry about, was over. The Empire had fallen. I was finally a Jedi, the ghosts of my masters, and even my father, had confirmed it so. They even said that I could take on a padawan or find more Jedi to help train the next generation. I myself could continue the legacy, our religion of the Force. I thought that I should feel excited or honored at the journey ahead of me, but I just felt exhausted.

I knew there was much work to be done in order to rebuild the Jedi, but where to begin? I felt utterly alone. More so than usual. I lost my Aunt and Uncle. I lost Ben. I lost my own father just as he returned to the Light. I didn't even know my mother. I didn't learn of a sister until the spur of the moment of when I had truly met my father.

But I had Leia. She was all I had but she was something. My everything. My family, my roots, my other half, my Princess. I loved her. I've always had the urge to protect her, the nagging feeling to save her, and I realized that all I wanted from her was to be safe. To be happy. That's what she got with Han.

Han, well... he's not exactly family, but he is. He's not like Leia to me. He's very different than Leia, but very, very alike as well. They bump heads a lot, but recently in a more "old-married-couple" sort of way. It was cute. I was happy for them.

I knew that I'd probably never find someone. Jedi were detached. They couldn't afford to have biases and save a certain group of people over another, even if I already had Leia. I needed to focus on rebuilding the Jedi anyway. I had no time for other frivolous matters such as a partner.

No matter how much Han and Leia tried.

And they tried.

It was when I had finally established a Jedi Temple, where Younglings and young Initiates could study and train, when they first attacked.

"So, uh, Luke," Han had attempted to grab my attention away from looking over an Initiate's course work poorly, but I looked up politely nonetheless. "We're planning a vacation." My head dropped down back to my work.

"Alright then. Have fun, be safe. Don't do anything too stupid," I hadn't the faintest idea why Han of all people would tell me that personally. We were friends, don't get me wrong, but he still was a bit of a... well he was still a bit cold. Never had a clue as to why since he kept saving my rear-end time after time, whether it was cutting open a Tauntaun or warning me about a wardrobe malfuntion. Must have liked me somewhat. There was a bit of mumbling before I heard Leia clear her throat. I looked up again.

"We were wondering if you'd like to join us. As a... congratulatory gift on the Temple." I knew she wasn't lying. She was doing what she thought was nice, but congratulating me on the Temple was not her main goal. I smiled at her.

"That's okay, guys. Don't let me get in the way. Besides, I gotta look after the Temple." They looked at each other, not so subtly voicing their thoughts with their eyes. I let my shields down for this, but didn't pry into their thoughts. I didn't have to. Leia's thoughts were pronounced with her never ending gaze and Han's thoughts were colorful and loud. Surprisingly enough, Han actually wanted me to come. Leia did too; she missed me. My heart was warm, but my stomach felt like ice. I couldn't just up and leave, even if I wanted to.

It wasn't until Han mouthed an annoyed 'what?' that I felt Leia kick Han in the shin. I tried not to cringe too hard. It was hard for them both that they weren't equally Force Sensitive. Leia didn't want to be a Jedi, and Han couldn't even dream of it. I could pick up her thoughts in an instant but Han? Poor guy could hardly read faces let alone use the Force to read thoughts. But I think it somehow worked better that way... most of the time. He turned to me reluctantly.

"I'm sure Arash and Victor could hold down the fort for a couple days at least." I chuckled aloud at that. Arash Lee and Victor Noza were my two eldest and most promising Padawans. Fortunately, they were also very good friends. I could see Arash being very enthusiastic at the opportunity but Victor was a very quiet boy, and probably wouldn't be too keen on the idea of looking after the others. No, I wouldn't have put either of them through that stress.

"They would be thrilled to do that for me, but Arash has quite the accent, and Victor could only translate so much before he would become overwhelmed."

"You really outta give them more credit; they're smart kids!"

"Yes. Kids." She gave me a "you know what I'm talking about here" look. "Leia, Arash is fifteen, Victor has just turned sixteen-"

"Sixteen's old enough," Han interrupted me. I looked at him.

"I didn't even think about leaving my Aunt and Uncle when I was sixteen. I didn't even know that I was actually going to become a Jedi someday until I was nineteen. I never would have imagined that I would have to someday carry on the Jedi legacy to younger generations until I was twenty, and that was Ben Kenobi himself that told me so. I may have gone through a lot more as an adult than those kids are going through now, but I'll be damned if I let them feel any way as alone with millions of beings counting on them." I knew I messed up then. When I said "as alone." I never wanted either of them know what I really felt during everything, when it was all unfolded and shoved in my face. When my Master and friend died before my eyes, leaving me to search for Yoda alone. When I had just met my father, and he was a notorious Sith Lord. When I couldn't even save him in the end.

Leia looked at me, with that quizzical face. Han had the expected reaction; he was surprised, confused and even a little bit hurt. But Leia... she examined me. Then she smiled. "That's why you should come with us.," she whispered, or thought. I don't remember her lips moving.

"I cannot," I sent back to her. She nodded sadly and turned to Han. She looked at him for a moment, until his eyebrows were nearly touching, then shrugged. He rolled his eyes and scoffed, annoyed.

"Listen, Kid," he pointed at me. "We're not even expecting you to pay for anything. Hell, don't even think about paying us back. We only want your damn company. I'll even make Chewy stay here to watch over the brats- I mean, kids." I smiled at my friend. He was sweet sometimes, in his own way of course. I think he considered me his best human friend, and I considered him mine. It's probably why he said something around the lines of "I can't hook him up when he's always here." I tried to analyze what he had said but my mind refused. _That_ was the underlying reason they wanted to drag me away from my home?

"Wait... what?" Leia had frozen, not sudden enough to be noticed by an stranger but definitely by her twin.

"Well," Han started, registering my mood had changed. "You said yourself that you're lonely-" Leia turned to him glaring daggers, "so Leia and I thought we would take you around and maybe you'd click with some-" He was interrupted with another swift kick to the other shin. "OW. Would you stop that?" She kept her ice gaze. "What? I'm not aboutta lie to the kid." Leia sighed.

"But you don't have to spill everything like that, Han."

Occasions like that one somehow happened every few months or so until it became a semiannual "try to get Luke to leave the Temple at least once" sort of holiday. It seemed like Leia started getting excited that she could think of new ways to introduce another person into my life that wasn't a pupil. She tried with many different kinds of people, majority of which were females of manageable humanoid species, with a few males to "keep things interesting" as my sister had put it on the second male trial.

There was one redhead that she had brought to the Temple, and she made it the farthest. She was very beautiful and full of a certain fire that caught my eye multiple times. She was a Jedi by the name of Mara Jade. It was mutual when we decided it was not to be. She felt like the only person to understand how important focusing on rebuilding the Jedi was. She took on a Padawan and still resides at the Temple, helping take care of Younglings and Initiates and still taking a Padawan when her last had made it. I am very grateful for Mara, and I'm grateful Leia brought her into my life.

Then that one night, as it always does, crept back into my thoughts.

It was a few years into the semiannual holiday of "Find Luke a Play Mate" and we decided to throw a little party. Little as in Leia, Han, and me. Some party, right? Anyway, there were drinks, many drinks. I had a few, keeping heavy restrain on myself and if I ever got too far I would meditate until I had my head again. I knew a Jedi had to keep a level head at all times, but I still wanted to have some fun with my friends. Leia, well, she's not a Jedi. She's quite impressive in holding her "liquid fun." Han stopped before he completely lost his head, knowing my sister by then to be a little bit of a partier. She never got crazy. She was still classy, even when high, but she was just a tad bit crueler with her insults. Fortunately they would stop making sense after the first few, so feelings never got hurt too bad.

That night, she didn't make any insults. No comments, no remarks, no giggles or obvious pointing. She had a request.

"Hanny~," she whined. He snickered.

"Yes, Princess?" It had become more of a pet name than a form of respect towards her.

She gasped, a child-like wonder filling her brown eyes. "That's right, I _am_ the Princess."

"Yes you are," Han confirmed as he set the water pitcher down after filling her cup.

"And don't you forget it," she flirted, dragging him down next to her and smooching his face. It was a foreign experience to watch my sister act this way. I didn't like it. It felt like I was invading her privacy, although it was somewhat nice to see her silly for once. "Hanny?," she asked again.

"Yes, Leia?"

"Can you do me a favor?," she whispered loudly.

"What?" She pulled him down a bit more and whispered in his ear, surprising low enough for me not to hear. I kept my shields up, not wanting any haunting images from my sister's mind. Han looked thoroughly confused and when she pulled back mumbled another "What?" She grunted and pulled down his face again. After a minute or two Han looked at me strangely. He grabbed her glass and tried to give it to her. "I think you need a drink."

"No~! I don't need a drink! I need you to do the thing!"

"Well, I'm not doing the thing."

"What?! But I'm the Princess!"

"This ain't an absolute Monarch, Honey."

"Ya? Well, when I'm the Queen, I'm gonna fix that." She took a sip from her glass, then looked to be in deep thought. "I basically am the Queen." She looked up, "I'm the Queen of Alderaan... a dead planet... and... and I'm the absolute Monarch!," she exclaimed. "And guess what? You're not invited!" Han Solo had a genuine smile plastered across his face.

"I'm not invited?"

"Nope."

"I can't be your King?"

"Nope! You can't even be my Chancellor!" Then she leaned in closer to him and whisper-yelled, "Not until you do the thing." Han groaned.

"Leia, you're drunk. I'm not fulfilling _any_ fantasies when you're drunk."

"Why no~t," she whined. "Lukey, he's being unfai~r!" I shivered at the nickname.

"He is literally the last person in the galaxy for you to be whining to about this."

"I am not whining!," Leia whined. Han turned to me then.

"Your sister's a little out of it right now, if you couldn't tell."

"Oh, I can tell." I hid my smirk behind my glass. "What's the Princess asking for?"

"I'm not even sure." Leia groaned dramatically.

"I just wanted to share!" My stomach twisted and dropped at the same time. It didn't really sound bad, but I could feel the meaning to her words, even if I didn't truly know. My cheeks already felt hot. Han looked at her in disbelief. The sad part was, he knew she meant it.

"Well, why don't you do it since you're the one sad about it?"

She gasped, "But I'm his sister!"

"Hasn't stopped ya before." She gave a sloppily reprimanding look.

"None of us knew it then." My sister finally looked at me. "I'd be willing to share, Lukey."

"Share what?," I asked quietly, not wanting to know the answer.

"Love!," she exclaimed happily, putting her arms in the air and leaning back in her chair. Han looked almost as uncomfortable as I was.

"She, uh, has this weird... homoerotic fantasy side that she locks away in a deep cave, well until she gets like this anyway. She did this with me and Lando a couple times. Somethin' about me being attractive enough for other guys?," he mumbled a majority of this, but I understood him perfectly... unfortunately for both of us. "She told me to, uh... well, she thinks you still haven't had your first kiss, which actually is wrong because she kissed you, but I guess she doesn't count that. But anyways, she wanted me to... 'be your first' because she 'wants you to experience the world' which I think is code for something else," he muttered accusingly toward Leia. Leia snorted.

"You're supposed...," she swallowed her spit, to which he gave her the cup again, "to do it passionately. Now he'll be expecting it and push you away."

"I'm not just gonna throw myself at the kid like that." ' _I wish you would_ ,' I thought quietly, or at least I thought I thought quietly. What the Sith was wrong with me? It came out of nowhere. It was joke not a want, honest. Leia's tipsy and all-knowing smirk was directed at me, then back at Han.

"You really oughtta," she slurred, "Give him a kiss for me..."

He didn't. When they escorted me back to the Temple, Leia fell asleep before she could say goodbye and Han had only said an apology for my sister. That night was never brought up again. I didn't think my sister would remember it, but I knew that the Force in her wouldn't let her black out like that.

She knew. She knew everything. Well, everything about me anyway. She felt my feelings through the Force, especially back then, when I couldn't help it. I was the Jedi, and I was absolutely certain she knew more about the Force than I did. I could read Han easily, but Leia was always harder, always guarded. She let me in eventually though. I don't think she's put her shields up since the Empire had fallen.

And Han... He didn't like me at first. He thought I was a bratty kid. He somehow still considers me a kid, and that's all. To be fair, he did see me as a good friend of his, but that's about it. I've felt a lot of his thoughts when in his presence. A sickeningly majority of which were about Leia. It was to be expected, but it was usually something scarring for my mind's eye. I always wondered if he ever thought about me, and not just because Leia brought me up in conversation, but Han wasn't the sentimental type. He may have been deep down inside, but not about me.

I stared at the ceiling of my quarters, letting my mind insert blurry images into the real world in front of me. With a heavy sigh, I realized that I was hugging myself again. It kept happening lately; I wasn't sure why. I decided to take my old Master's advise when I felt restless, and grab a cup of tea. Although meditating was the go-to for releasing emotions into the Force, Ben knew first hand that it didn't always work. And so I threw off the pesky covers, mentally preparing myself to leave my bed.

I slipped on a thick pair of socks and shuffled into the mess hall. It wasn't far from my room and I purposely put the tea to the closest wall. I put the water in the kettle and set it on the hotplate. We had instant tea, but it wasn't the same. The water was somehow... stale. And the green tea hit the back of my throat the wrong way. I decided chamomile was the best choice, even though I was getting pretty tired of it. But it worked like a charm. Most of the time.

The kettle was steaming but not exactly squealing yet, but there was a whistle. The whistle lasted a minute or two before I got impatient and turned the hotplate off. I used the Force for the rest of preparing the tea, not really wanting to get burned. I had set the teabag in when I heard a familiar door swoosh open. It was different from the others because the occupant inside that room likes to spar with herself... that or she was really upset that day her lightsaber went through the damn wall that the door slides into. I asked her if she wanted it fixed, but no one could see through the room so she didn't care. Even said that it gave it 'character.' I accepted by then that she'd forever remain a mystery to me.

At first, all I saw was red curls in the doorway to the mess hall. Then, I saw beautiful white teeth in a rather terrifying smile. She all but charged at me, and I was really glad I wasn't holding my tea at that moment. My fight or flight response kicked in, yet I froze to the ground, my eyes wide as she pounced on me. She wrapped herself around me; she was surprisingly light. She hopped off me quickly, still beaming at me.

"Luke!," she exclaimed happily. She held onto my shoulders; I wasn't sure who she was trying to steady. "Guess what!"

"...What?," Why would Mara be this happy to see me in the mess hall at this hour? She always ushered me back to my room and said that I needed to rest. I tried explaining to her that was what I was doing every time she caught me in there but she never really listened. And what in all of the Force could make her smile that wide for that long?

"You're going to be an uncle!" I thought of my Uncle Owen for a moment, until I realized what she had said had nothing to do with him. It had something to do with a sibling of mine making me an uncle by having a child. Then I remembered I only had one sibling: my beloved, twin sister. As if reading my mind, which I was sure Mara was with my shields unexpectedly down, the redhead exclaimed, "Leia's pregnant!"

"Really...," I said, barely hearing myself. I was completely bewildered by the very idea. Leia, my Princess, was with child. I was to be an uncle. Why, if Leia wanted, I could train my own niece or nephew to be a Jedi. It was very surreal for me. Then the thought hit me, all at once. It takes two to have a child. I wasn't a complete fool; I wouldn't ask who the father was; I knew. And I wasn't a fool enough to hope it was someone else. I had to accept it. I had to.

My two best friends, two people who knew me better than anyone in the kriffing galaxy, were having a baby together.

It felt like the Force shattered and fell apart around me. Suddenly, I felt empty, especially my lungs.

I passed out. I didn't know if Mara had caught me or even bothered trying. I didn't feel the ground. And I still don't know what happened to my tea.

~

AN: Something quick and unexpected I started one day. Hope you enjoyed! See you later (maybe)!


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